Remarkably, IPF HLFs, irrespectively of cell density (Supplementary Fig. 6a), presented with prominent podosome rosettes (Fig. 3a–d, Supplementary Fig. 6a, b, and Supplementary Movie 1), identical in structure as those stimulated in vitro by TGFβ, that persist upon prolonged culture ex vivo. This evidence concerns the gene TGFB1 and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.